Arcade worker shares 'three-step' hack to winning every time on claw machine
An arcade worker has shared some top tips to help you win on the claw machine - and they're very easy to follow
For many people who spent their youth hanging out at the arcade, one of games that remains a firm favourite is the claw machine, or the crane machine.
The ever-popular crane game tempts players to manoeuvre a clunky claw in hopes of snagging a coveted toy - insert your coins, grab the joystick and start aiming for your plushy target.
The aim of the game is to guide the claw above the prize and watch as it descends, latches on (you hope!), and then hopefully secures your victory by delivering the toy down the prize chute.
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But too often we walk away from the arcade empty-handed, frustrated after repeated attempts at the claw machine end with dropped toys at the edge of triumph, or the infuriating reality that the claw won't clinch tightly enough.
Yet there's hope – mastering the machine might just be within reach thanks to some savvy advice. Over on the @arcadefriends TikTok page, one arcade worker dishes out top tips to boost your chances of winning, reports the Mirror.
Firstly, you might instinctively aim for the bigger parts of the toy, thinking there is more to grab onto, but according to the expert, it's better to aim for the smaller parts. "In order to get a good grab it's important for the claw to completely close around the plush. This is impossible if you're aiming for a large part of the plush, like the head," insists the arcade insider.
If you're struggling to grab a tiny bit of the cuddly toy, there's a trick known as the "swinging" method that can be a game-changer - it involves using the joystick to swing the claw into place over a smaller part of the toy.
Another tip is to use the "double-tap" method, which "allows you to stop the claw exactly where you want to" by hitting the grab button twice.
Lastly, the arcade worker recommends aiming for the plushies that are near the prize chute. Line up the claw just right so it’s "slightly over the prize chute in an attempt to drag or swing the plush over into the prize chute when it picks it up".
Users online were gobsmacked by these revelations - one user voiced their surprise with "You can stop the claw...?", while another regretfully mused: "Could've told me this before I spent $3 trying to get a plushie."
Someone else admitted, "I always thought you had to aim for the biggest part."
And another tipster chimed in for the UK gamers, advising: "For those in the UK, I recommend swinging the closest plush into the hole, some claws do not grab at all and based on how many goes have been played, if the claw doesn't grab or close, its not ready."
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